Raising a Copper's Daughter
by Lestrade's Lady
Summary: Snippets from Keira's life, with plenty of focus on her parents.
1. Two Months

**Disclaimer:** I only own the original characters.

**A/N:** This will be the last story in this series. Will update when work and the Muse allow. Enjoy, and please review!

Kate Watson Lestrade woke before dawn one morning to find her husband's side of the bed cold. She glanced towards the bathroom, but the door was open and the light off. Her next thought was that their two-month-old daughter might have woken up, but Kate knew she wouldn't have slept through Keira's cries.

Puzzled, she got up and crept quietly downstairs. Gabriel was seated in his recliner, Keira in one arm, holding her bottle with his other hand. The only sounds were the slight creak of the chair and soft suckling noises as the infant enjoyed her late-night meal.

Kate stepped forward to stand behind the chair, resting her chin on top of her husband's head.

"Hello, you two."

"Did we wake you, love?" Gabriel asked.

"No, and that's what confuses me. How did she wake you up, but not me? I'm not that tired!"

"I came down to get something to drink and heard her just starting to fuss. I decided on a pre-emptive strike, so to speak."

"Ah, I see."

Keira decided she'd had enough and stopped drinking. Gabriel passed the still-partially full bottle to Kate and lifted his daughter onto his shoulder.

"Full, sweetie? Okay."

Kate handed him a blanket to toss over his shoulder in case the baby spit up, and went to put the bottle back in the fridge. A few minutes later, a tiny burp sounded, and Gabriel carefully got to his feet.

Kate followed him into the nursery. She smiled, noticing that Keira's eyes were already starting to droop closed. So long as she had a clean diaper and a full stomach, it wasn't hard to get her to sleep. How long she would stay asleep was another matter entirely; it could be anywhere from one hour to several.

Technically, Keira slept through the rest of the night; it was five a.m. when her crying woke her parents. Kate changed her, fed her, and, since it was Saturday, headed upstairs to get a few more hours of sleep.

She got up at nine, and had just enough time to eat breakfast before Keira was awake and demanding hers. A bottle later, Kate strapped her daughter into the motorized baby swing she always seemed to enjoy. She settled a few feet away with her laptop to work on revising her novel before sending it to her editors' again.

About the time Keira began fussing for attention, Gabriel got home from running a few errands. He quickly lifted the infant into his arms.

"What do you say you and I play for a while? Give Mummy a chance to get a shower and get out of her pajamas?"

Keira cooed and gurgled as though agreeing, and Kate gave her mate a grateful glance as she went upstairs.

Forty-five minutes later, she came back down to find her husband and daughter sprawled on the floor. Kate wished she had her phone to hand, or a video camera. The sight of one of the strongest and bravest men she knew playing peekaboo was completely adorable. Keira wriggled and squealed happily in response to Gabriel's playful tone of voice and the funny faces that he was making.

Kate was content to lean against the wall, unnoticed, and watch the sweet moment. But Keira soon began crying what Kate recognized as a cry of hunger. She hurried into the kitchen to fix a bottle.

Once she'd been fed and burped, Kate put Keira down for a nap. She reentered the living room and flopped onto the couch. By her guess, she had an hour or two until the baby woke again.

"What're you doing all the way over there?" Gabriel held out a hand.

Kate took it and let herself be pulled to her feet and over to her husband's chair. She curled up beside him and tried to make her mind shut off. No frazzled thoughts of motherhood, or work, or anything stressful. Instead, she focused on simply enjoying being near Gabriel.

When he opened his mouth to speak a few minutes later, Gabriel looked down and saw that Kate had dozed off. He couldn't help but smile: it looked like both of his girls had been in need of a nap! He rested his head atop Kate's and closed his eyes, figuring that a little extra rest wouldn't hurt him, either.


	2. Eight Months

**Disclaimer:** I only own the original characters, and make no profit from this.

**A/N:** Enjoy! Please review!

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><p>As her buzzing alarm clock penetrated her haze of sleep, Kate Watson Lestrade groaned and reached to cut it off. She pushed herself into a sitting position and frowned as she noticed a note on her husband's pillow. Puzzled, she picked it up.<p>

_Kate_, it read, _got called in a few hours early this morning. Decided not to wake you; leaving this note instead. Have a good day and I'll see you tonight. I love you. Gabriel._

Kate's mouth dropped open slightly. Gabriel knew she preferred it when he woke her before he left! She knew he was just being considerate, since their daughter was teething and had kept them up a lot lately. But Kate was keenly aware that every time her cop husband left to go to work, it might be for the last time, so she liked to make sure she saw him off with a kiss, a "be careful," and an "I love you."

She had to attend a press conference at New Scotland Yard that afternoon, but didn't run into her husband, much to her relief. She was still angry, and he would have picked up on it.

When he got home that night, Gabriel immediately knew something was bothering Kate. She accepted his kiss hello quite coolly, and murmured a brief response when he asked how her day had been. She did not bother asking about his work day.

"Kate? Is everything okay?"

She just shook her head, gathering Keira into her arms and heading upstairs to get her ready for bed. "Not now, Gabriel."

The cop settled on the couch and spent the next half hour trying to figure out what was on his wife's mind. He had a hunch it was something he'd said or done, but he wasn't sure what.

He glanced up when Kate came back downstairs, and waited while she settled Keira into her crib. She tiptoed back into the living room, pulling the door of the nursery closed behind her, and turned to face her husband.

"Let's discuss this upstairs." She turned and ascended the staircase without looking to see if Gabriel was behind her.

Kate checked to make sure the baby monitor was on and sat down on the edge of her bed. Gabriel looked thoroughly puzzled by now.

"What is it, love? I seem to have done something to upset you."

"But you don't know what," she scoffed.

"Well . . .no, I don't."

"All right, I'll tell you. I realize you were just trying to be considerate by not waking me before you left this morning, but I really didn't appreciate waking up to find nothing but a note."

"You're right; I figured you could use the rest. Not sure why it bothers you so much that I didn't wake you."

Kate refrained from rolling her eyes, but just barely. "Think about it, Gabriel. With your job, there's a very real possibility that you could leave for work one morning and not come home again. And if, God forbid, that were to ever happen, I'd like to know that I spent our last moments together telling you that I love you."

Her husband nodded. "I see your point, and I should have thought of that. I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven." She smiled. "I guess I really got angry because . . ."

Gabriel frowned as her voice trailed off. "What?"

Kate swallowed hard and blinked as she continued voicing her realization. "I was using anger to cover up my fear. I was trying to shut up the part of my mind that was wondering, 'What if this is it? What if this is the day I get that call, and I didn't get to tell him I loved him one last time? Didn't get to look at him and make a point of memorizing every feature?'"

She groaned, swiping a hand across her eyes. "Great, now I sound like a cheesy novel."

Eyes soft with understanding, Gabriel sat down beside her and pulled her close. "It's all right, love. I should have realized you'd be upset, and why. From now on, I promise I'll wake you before I leave."

"Thank you," Kate murmured. "I love you."

She felt Gabriel press a kiss into her hair before he replied. "I love you, too."


	3. Three Years

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anyone or anything from the show, only the original characters and plotlines.

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait. Hoping to have another chapter done soon. PLEASE review!

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><p>Detective Inspector Gabriel Lestrade smiled thankfully when he opened his door one evening to reveal Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. His latest case was proving to be extremely difficult to figure out, and he was grateful for whatever help Sherlock was willing to give.<p>

"Sorry to drag you back out again," he apologized, as he ushered them into the foyer and closed the door.

"The more data I have access to, the faster this will be solved," Sherlock answered.

Gabriel started to lead them to the far end of the living room, where his desk was situated. As John walked by the stairs, a small form in pink pajamas latched on to his leg. He chuckled and bent down to lift the little girl into his arms.

"Well, hello there, Keira."

The toddler threw her arms around his neck in an exuberant hug. "Hi, John!" she turned to wave at the consulting detective. "Hi, Sherwock!"

"Good evening, Keira." Sherlock nodded to her with a slight smile.

Gabriel glanced at his watch before addressing his daughter. "Isn't it almost your bedtime, little lady?"

"It is," his wife answered as she came downstairs. "Sorry, Keira, but you need to get plenty of rest, and John and Sherlock need to talk to Daddy. Come on."

Kate reached out to take her daughter from her cousin, and Keira went willingly. She waved to the men over Kate's shoulder as she was carried into her bedroom.

Once she'd read Keira a story, tucked her in and kissed her good night, Kate settled on the couch with a book. She half-listened to the three men discuss the home invasion and assault case they were trying to solve. Sherlock was adamant that the victim was hiding something.

"She's in on it somehow. No woman would be that calm after such an experience. She was reluctant to make eye contact when describing the suspect, but didn't have a problem with it when she was talking about the injuries he supposedly inflicted."

"That is a little odd," Kate spoke up. "I would think that talking about her injuries and describing the man who did it would be equally difficult. Was for me."

"Exactly," the consulting detective nodded. "Bring her in for another interview tomorrow, Lestrade. Let me know what time to be there."

"Will do," Gabriel nodded. "Thanks for your help."

Somewhat to Kate's surprise, her husband returned to his desk and pulled out another file. Catching her expression, he shrugged.

"This is a tough one, but not interesting enough for Sherlock, so I'm on my own."

She frowned. "You look tired."

"I'm fine, love. I'll go to bed in a couple of hours."

Kate read for another hour and a half before putting her book aside and heading upstairs to bed. She paused to kiss Gabriel.

"Don't stay up all night."

"I'll be up shortly. Love you."

She yawned. "Love you, too."

Kate fell asleep quickly, but woke some time later. Almost immediately, she realized she was alone in bed. She looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly one in the morning.

She went downstairs and found Gabriel still at his desk. He was engrossed in the file he was reading, so she stopped to glance in at Keira. The little girl was sound asleep, clutching her teddy bear. Kate smiled and quietly closed the door.

It wasn't until she came up behind him, wrapping her arms around him, that Gabriel became aware of his wife's presence. He reached up to squeeze her hand.

"Whew, didn't realize it had gotten so late."

"You're no good to anyone if you're exhausted," Kate pointed out. "Come get some sleep."

"Not going to argue with you." He stood and stretched.

Kate chuckled. "And I had my next argument prepared, too. Oh well, I'll save it for another time."

Once they were comfortably settled in bed, Kate reached up to card her fingers through his hair, letting the soothing, rhythmic action lull them both to sleep.


	4. Six Years

**Disclaimer:** Plot and original characters are mine, but that's all.

**A/N:** My apologies for the delay! Enjoy, and please review!

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><p>Kate Watson Lestrade tiptoed out of her six-year-old daughter's bedroom, pulling the door most of the way closed behind her. Keira had managed to stay awake through her bedtime story by sheer willpower, but she'd been out like a light when Kate started singing a lullaby.<p>

The journalist yawned as she walked over to join her husband on the couch. She'd been working especially hard the last few days, but was very pleased with how the article had turned out. She leaned her head against Gabriel's shoulder, smiling when he shifted so that he could wrap an arm around her.

"Tired, love?"

"Mmmhmm," she murmured.

"C'mon, let's go on upstairs. I can read just as easily in bed, and you look like you could fall asleep right here."

As she got ready for bed, Kate commented, "Writing the story wasn't so bad, but the research was so time-consuming."

"It was well-written, as usual," Gabriel assured her. "And I know it can't have been easy to get any of London's homeless to agree to an interview. How'd you manage it?"

"You're right; it wasn't easy. I headed out early one morning and bribed them with food and hot coffee. Of course, I gave it to them even if they refused to talk to me, but it did work on some. Wish I could have gotten photos, but all of our photographers were busy with other assignments."

Gabriel had looked up from his book and was staring at his wife in astonishment.

"What?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"Please tell me you're not saying what I think you are."

"And what would that be?"

"That you spent time wandering some of the roughest parts of London, interviewing homeless people, alone!"

"Nothing happened. All's well that ends well."

The cop sighed. "Please tell me your editor or one of your colleagues knew where you were."

"They had a general idea, yes. And I had my mobile with me, fully charged."

Gabriel shook his head. "You're not seeing why I'm so upset about this, are you?"

"Well, no, not really," she admitted.

"There are so many ways things could have gone wrong! You could have been mugged, left stranded with no phone and no money. You could have inadvertently angered one of your interview subjects and provoked him or her to violence. And I'm not going to go into some of the worst possibilities because I'd rather not think about them! Do you have any idea how I'd feel if something like that happened? If all I had to go on was a vague location, with no idea what I might find?"

Kate opened her mouth to reply, but Gabriel got into bed and turned to face away from her. She winced a bit, but didn't really blame him. He had a right to be mad. She knew that as a woman who considered herself fairly street smart, she should have known better. And as a cop's wife who'd been kidnapped twice already, she really should have known better.

She turned out the lights and settled beneath the covers, but was careful to keep plenty of space between her and Gabriel. He probably wouldn't appreciate her usual snuggling tonight.

The next morning, Kate was very careful to act as though nothing was wrong. Keira was intelligent and perceptive for her age, and Kate didn't want to worry or upset her. Gabriel had been called in early to deal with a case, which his wife was grateful for.

She managed to have a fairly productive day, but her editor and other well-meaning colleagues made several positive comments about her story on the homeless. It was all Kate could do not to visibly cringe whenever it was mentioned.

She wasn't surprised when Gabriel sent her a text saying he'd be working late. By the time he got home, she'd fixed dinner for herself and Keira, leaving a plate in the microwave for her spouse.

The cop responded warmly to his daughter's enthusiastic greeting, listening patiently as Keira chattered on about her day. Kate smiled softly as she watched them, but anticipation of the discussion she and her husband needed to have was an uncomfortable knot in the pit of her stomach. When Keira started to go back to where she'd been sitting in the middle of the living room, Kate intervened.

"Sweetie, why don't you go play in your room til it's time for bed? Daddy and I need to talk about some things."

The little girl nodded and began gathering up her blocks. "Okay, Mummy."

Once the door closed behind Keira, Kate cut straight to the chase. "I'm sorry. I was careless, you're right. I should have known better."

Gabriel sighed. "Well, to be fair, I could have reacted more calmly. But the thought of losing you scares me. And like the majority of the male population, I have a tendency to express fear as anger."

"I've noticed," Kate smiled. "But don't worry; from now on I'll try not to get so caught up in getting the story that I don't consider possible dangers."

"Good. That eases my mind a little."

"So I'm forgiven?"

Gabriel smiled and held out a hand. "Come here."

Kate sighed happily as she leaned into his embrace, welcoming the slow kiss he pressed to her lips. She pulled back a few moments later, glancing at the clock.

"Time for me to get Keira ready for bed."

"And then I say we go upstairs and make up . . .officially."

Kate recognized the sparkle in the dark eyes and grinned. "Sounds like a good plan to me."


	5. Seven and a Half Years

**Disclaimer:** If you recognize it from the show, it's not mine!

**A/N:** My apologies for the long wait! But as you can see, here's a nice, long chapter to make up for it!

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><p>Relaxing on his couch after a long day at work, Detective Inspector Gabriel Lestrade flipped idly through the day's newspaper. His seven-year-old daughter, Keira, was seated at the kitchen counter, muttering under her breath as she worked on her mathematics homework. He heard the sound of a key in the lock and looked up with a smile as his wife came in.<p>

"Evening, love. Rare for me to beat you home. Long day?"

Kate sighed as she put her things down on the table in the entryway. "A bit. And I had those doctor's appointments, too, so had to stay later to finish up my story."

She paused by Keira's chair for a hug and kiss. "How was your day?"

"It was good, Mummy. I made 100 on my spelling test."

"Good for you, sweetie! Got much homework?"

"Not a whole lot. I'll be done soon."

Kate walked over to her husband and leaned down for a kiss as she ran a hand through his hair. Gabriel could tell something was bothering her, but he figured she wouldn't want to discuss it in front of Keira. So, when she went upstairs to change clothes, he followed.

Kate wasn't really surprised to find her spouse just a few steps behind her. Once he'd closed the door of their bedroom, she sank onto the edge of the bed with a sigh.

Gabriel crossed the room, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "What is it, darling?"

"Those doctor's appointments I had today. The first one was with my primary physician. I wanted her advice on that lump I found in my breast last month."

"I guessed as much. What did she say?"

"Sent me to a specialist to have an ultrasound done. They had an opening this afternoon; someone had canceled." She paused to take a deep breath before she continued. "They think it's probably benign, based on the ultrasound. Also, I had a couple of benign lumps in my twenties, and they do tend to reoccur. But given my age, they want to make certain. The surgery will be in two and a half weeks."

Gabriel sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms. "So there's a chance it could be malignant."

"A fairly small chance, but yes. The specialist seemed quite optimistic, though."

"That's good. What are we going to tell Keira?"

Kate sighed. "I think I've come up with something she'll understand. But I'm not sure whether to tell her now, or wait until closer to the surgery."

"She inherited your brains, darling. She's going to know something's wrong."

"Aye, you're right. Come on, let's get this part over with."

Keira was putting her schoolbooks away when her parents came back downstairs. She started to go to her room to play until dinner, but Kate stopped her.

"Come over here a minute, Keira. I need to talk to you."

Finding her parents seated on the couch, the little girl opted to sit on the edge of the coffee table facing them.

"Yes, Mummy?"

"I went to the doctor today, and they told me that I'm going to have to have an operation soon."

"Are you sick?"

"Not exactly." Kate squeezed her husband's hand tightly. "The doctors found a spot of what they think might be bad cells. They probably aren't bad, but they want to be sure, so they have to remove them and test them."

"Oh." Keira frowned for a moment, thinking over what she'd been told. "When will the operation be?"

"In a couple of weeks—the last Thursday of this month."

"Will you be able to come home right away afterwards?"

"Yes. They won't even keep me overnight."

"Okay. May I go and play now?"

"Homework finished?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Then yes, you may go to your room and play."

Keira paused long enough to hug her mother before she hurried off to her room. Kate slumped against Gabriel with a sigh.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

He kissed the top of her head. "You managed to tell her in a way that didn't scare her half to death. Now, what should we have for dinner?"

"Something I don't have to cook," was Kate's quick answer.

Gabriel laughed. "All right, I'll see what I can whip up, then."

As he was gathering the ingredients for his homemade Alfredo sauce (Kate's favorite), a thought occurred to the cop.

"Hey, Kate? What did John have to say about all this?"

Her eyes widened at the mention of her cousin. "Oh, blast! I knew I was forgetting something!"

Her conversation with her cousin was brief. Kate filled him in, promised to keep him posted, and hung up. Gabriel had a hunch he'd be hearing from John Watson soon; the doctor would want to offer whatever support he could.

After dinner, while Kate and Keira were cleaning up, Gabriel tried to relax and enjoy a football match on the telly. But in his concern for Kate, he was hyper-aware of every move she made. Once she'd come into the living room, going to her desk to do some writing, he breathed easier.

Kate turned in early, drained from her long day. Gabriel tried to look over some case files, but found focusing on them too difficult in his present state of mind. He quietly headed upstairs. Kate was in bed, but still awake, glancing over as he entered the room.

Neither spoke as the cop stripped down to his boxers and lay down, reaching out to wrap an arm around Kate. She made herself comfortable with her head resting on his shoulder and tried to go to sleep. But half an hour later, she was still tense and wide awake. Gabriel began stroking her hair soothingly.

"You're thinking too much, baby."

"I know. I canna help it."

He thought a moment, then pulled her closer. "I know it's hard, but try to relax. Worrying yourself sick won't help anything. We'll get through this, one way or the other. Don't we always?"

He continued to murmur words of love and reassurance, and it wasn't long before he felt Kate relax as she finally slept. He hadn't had to use that trick since the last month she was pregnant with Keira, but it was clearly still effective.

The next two and a half weeks seemed especially long to Kate. She did her best to focus on other things, such as her work. Her friends had been very supportive, which helped. She'd had a couple of friends in Scotland offer to come down for moral support, but she refused. There was no need for them to disrupt their lives for what was probably nothing. If things were worse than her doctors predicted, then she would definitely take them up on it.

The night before the surgery, Gabriel decided, was the perfect time to tell Kate of his plans for their ten-year wedding anniversary. It would give her something else to think about, hopefully distracting her from her worry.

Once she'd put Keira to bed (having insisted that there was no need for her to miss school, and knowing she'd be better off being with her friends to keep her from fretting), Kate tried to enjoy the novel she'd been reading. But after one chapter, she sighed with frustration and set it aside.

Her husband took that as his cue to speak. "You know, love, I've been thinking about what we should do for our anniversary. Not much longer til it's here."

"That's true. Any ideas?"

Gabriel smiled. "How does a weekend getaway sound?"

"Fantastic. But where? And what about Keira?"

"I'd rather not tell you the location until the last possible moment. I want it to be a surprise. As for Keira, the Harrimans said she'd be more than welcome to stay with them."

Kate nodded her approval. Maddie Harriman was Keira's best friend, and Kate both liked and trusted her parents.

"All right, sounds like a plan to me. Go ahead and make the arrangements."

She got a sheepish smile in reply. "I already have. Made sure I could get my money back if you said no, though, just in case

"How long have you been planning this, Gabe?"

"Oh, a couple of months now. The idea just kind of came to me and I ran with it."

"And I suppose you just happened to pick tonight to mention it? Convenient timing, darling."

The cop laughed. "Guilty as charged, I admit. Thought it would make a nice distraction."

"It does."

"Excellent. Now how about allowing me to offer a different kind of distraction?"

Kate was more than familiar with her husband's tone of voice and the light in his eyes. She stood and let him gather her into his arms for a long kiss. Without breaking it, Gabriel lifted her off her feet. Kate wrapped her legs around his waist and allowed him to carry her upstairs.

Their lovemaking was slow but passionate. But despite her post-coital drowsiness, Kate found it difficult to doze off. She managed to turn in Gabriel's embrace without waking him, studying her spouse thoughtfully.

There were a few more lines in his face, and more gray in his hair, but Kate thought he was still as handsome as ever. Just a month shy of his 57th birthday, he was still in pretty good shape, more than capable of handling the physicality that sometimes came with the job. She knew he was worried about her surgery, but he'd been careful not to let on, providing a steady source of comfort and support instead. Feeling very blessed, Kate closed her eyes and was soon able to fall asleep.

The next morning, Gabriel stayed by her side until moments before the surgery. When finally told he had to leave, he paused to draw his wife into a reassuring embrace.

"You'll be fine, Kate. I love you."

She tilted her head back for a kiss. "Love you, too."

Relegated to the waiting room, Gabriel dropped into a chair beside John Watson, who was already flipping through a magazine.

The doctor looked up. "All right?"

"Let's just say that at times like this I wish I hadn't quit smoking."

John chuckled. "I understand. But everything will be okay. Kate's tough. Even if, God forbid, it is cancer, she'll fight it."

"I know. But thanks."

The operation didn't take long—less than two hours. But it felt like an eternity to Gabriel. By the time Kate's doctor came out, he was pacing impatiently, while John watched with an expression of both sympathy and amusement.

"She should be coming around soon, and then you can take her home. The operation went well, and the test results should be back in 7 to 10 days."

Both men thanked him before heading for the recovery ward. The nurse explained that Kate was just starting to wake up, and it was best to give her a few minutes to get her bearings back before allowing her to dress and leave.

Fifteen minutes later, the nurse wheeled Kate out the front door, where Gabriel already had the car waiting.

"All right, love?" he asked as she eased carefully into the front seat.

"Yeah." She smiled a little. "Painkillers haven't worn off yet."

Once home, Kate settled on the couch with a cup of tea and a book. She insisted that there was really no need for her husband to hover, but it didn't do her much good. And once she got home from school, Keira stayed close by, happy to fetch anything Mummy might need.

Kate was back at work on Tuesday, trying not to think about how much longer it would be before the biopsy results were back. Instead, she tried to figure out where Gabriel was taking her for their anniversary. But though she used every trick she could think of, her husband wouldn't give her so much as a hint.

A week later, she was jumping every time the phone rang. It was starting to wear on her nerves by the time her doctor finally called on Monday.

As he'd expected, the growth was benign, but it was a relief to Kate to have it confirmed. Gabriel was even more relieved, slumping on to the couch with a long sigh when Kate told him the news. She thought she saw a hint of tears in his eyes, but couldn't be certain.

She gave him a moment to regain his composure before changing the subject.

"Do you even plan on telling me how to pack for our anniversary trip?"

"Why can't I just pack for you?"

The horrified expression on Kate's face told him exactly what she thought of that idea, making him laugh.

"Okay, fine. I'll check the weather right before we go and give you an idea of the temperature range."

"I s'pose that'll have to do," Kate shrugged, knowing it was the only concession she'd get.

She spent the next few days scouring catalogs, stores and the Internet for the perfect gift for Gabriel. Nothing seemed quite right: not significant enough, too gaudy, out of her price range, the list went on. She was starting to despair when she finally found something she deemed appropriate. With a little over a week left until their trip, she stashed the present in her desk at work, not wanting to risk Gabriel finding it, or Keira letting anything slip.

It wasn't until two days before they left that Gabriel kept his promise to give Kate an idea of the weather at their destination: highs in the low to mid–teens, with occasional rain and/or thunderstorms.

"Okay," she nodded. "Now, what type of clothing am I going to need? How casual or fancy?"

"Who said anything about leaving our hotel room?"

Kate couldn't help but laugh, even as she swatted her spouse on the arm. "C'mon, seriously."

"I'd say mostly casual, but wouldn't hurt to pack at least one nice outfit. I don't really have a set itinerary."

Their flight left at 10:00 Friday morning. As they ate breakfast, Kate ran through the mental list in her head, hoping she hadn't forgotten anything. Several casual outfits, two nice dresses for evenings out, the new lingerie she'd bought earlier that week, her camera and Gabriel's gift. Undergarments, socks, toothbrush, makeup, daily medications . . .if she had forgotten anything, it wasn't anything important.

"So," she asked, taking the last bite of her omelette, "do I get to find out where we're going, or do I have to wait until we get to the airport?"

Gabriel chuckled and handed her an envelope. Kate opened it, and her eyes widened. Inside were their plane tickets—to Dublin, Ireland, where they'd spent their honeymoon. She hurried over to throw her arms around her husband with a delighted squeal.

"Oh, Gabe it's perfect!"

He grinned. "Yes, I thought you might like it."

Kate leaned in for a long kiss before they began cleaning up the kitchen and preparing to leave. She scanned the flat one more time and, satisfied that everything was in order, gathered her bags. Gabriel had already gone outside and hailed a cab (he said he didn't trust the security at airport car parks), and took the bags from her as she came out the door.

They were at the airport shortly after nine o'clock, and Kate tried to relax while they waited. She got her Ipod out of her carry-on bag, and closed her eyes, programming one of her favorite playlists. But her excitement won out, her foot jiggling impatiently.

Gabriel noticed, laughing as he wrapped an arm around her. "Patience, darling. Only half an hour left."

She sighed. "Yes, but I've never been great at being patient. And I've a feeling that there are more surprises in store for me today."

"Hmm. Maybe."

Kate just laughed, knowing that probably meant yes. But she appreciated her husband's romantic streak. Despite being a self-proclaimed sap, she wasn't sure she'd have thought of returning to the place where they'd honeymooned.

She spent the relatively short flight trying to decide how they should spend the weekend. There were so many options, shopping, sightseeing and a lot in between! She had a feeling Gabriel already had something in mind for today, though he hadn't actually said so.

"I know you said you didn't have a set itinerary," she commented as they landed. "But did you have anything planned for the rest of the day?"

He just smiled, reaching up to get his carry-on out of the overhead bin. "You'll see, love."

Kate shook her head. It looked like she wasn't going to get a straight answer about much concerning this trip! But she didn't mind. It was fun to wonder, really.

It didn't take as long as she'd thought it might to get their luggage and hire a car. But when Kate asked where they were staying, Gabriel didn't answer. He just flashed her a mysterious smile.

Kate supposed she should have seen it coming, but when they pulled up in front of the hotel where they'd spent their honeymoon, her mouth dropped open.

"You're a genius," she leaned over to kiss Gabriel's cheek.

"I thought it was appropriate," he answered with a shrug.

Not only had Gabriel managed to book the same suite they'd had ten years before, but when they entered, they found champagne, two flutes and chocolate-covered strawberries in a gift basket.

"Wow," Gabriel smiled. "The hotel manager has been very helpful in arranging everything, but I wasn't expecting this."

"Talk about going all out," Kate agreed. "That's what I call excellent service."

By the time they'd unpacked and made a quick grocery run, it was nearly two o'clock. Kate curled up in a chair on the balcony with a book, enjoying the view. Gabriel joined her a few minutes later, standing behind her chair to rub her shoulders. She sighed, leaning back into the touch.

"This was a brilliant idea, Gabe."

"Well, ten years is a big milestone. And I figured we both needed a little break."

"Mmm, very true. I'm more relaxed already."

"Yes, I can tell. It's good to see."

She smiled, turning her head to kiss his hand. "I love you."

"Love you too, darling. Stand up for a moment."

Curious, Kate rose from her chair. Gabriel moved around to sit down in it himself, then tugged his wife onto his lap.

"That's better. Don't mind me; go on back to your book."

"You're sure?" she asked, settling more comfortably against his shoulder.

"Absolutely. I'll just sit here and relax and admire the scenery."

Kate shrugged, took him at his word, and continued reading. Gabriel leaned his head to rest gently against hers, inhaling the scent of her hair with a smile. They stayed that way for over an hour, until Gabriel checked his watch and saw that it was almost four. He gave Kate a gentle nudge.

"Our dinner reservations are at half five, love, and I'm sure you'll want plenty of time to get ready."

"Yes, I would," Kate agreed, marking her place in her book and getting to her feet.

An hour later, she emerged from the bedroom. Gabriel looked up from the couch, where he'd been watching television, and his jaw dropped.

"Wow. You look amazing, my heart."

Kate smiled as she smoothed the skirt of her purple silk dress. She'd bought it on sale the month before, but never worn it until now.

"Thank you."

He paused to kiss her cheek before disappearing into the bedroom to get ready as well. Kate could hear him whistling a cheery tune as he started the shower. She went back to the book she'd been reading earlier, and didn't notice her husband come out into the living room until he cleared his throat.

A slow smile spread over her face. "Oh, wow."

Gabriel had paired his black trousers with a gray shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders and brought out the color of his eyes. He smiled his thanks at Kate's reaction and offered her his arm.

"Shall we?"

The restaurant he'd chosen was high-end, but not ridiculously expensive. The food was delicious and perfectly cooked. Kate nodded appreciatively when she cut into her steak and discovered that she and the chef shared the same definition of medium-well.

The center of the room was a chandelier-lit dance floor, with jazz playing through hidden speakers. Once they'd finished eating, Gabriel held out his hand to Kate, nodding towards the couples already swaying to the music.

"May I have this dance?"

Kate grinned as she got to her feet. "Absolutely."

She hummed along with the music as she rested her head on Gabriel's shoulder. She had always liked to dance, but it wasn't something she got a chance to do very often. It felt good, being held close to her spouse, breathing in the scent of his aftershave, feeling his smile against the side of her head.

They spent nearly an hour dancing before choosing to return to the hotel. Kate toed off her shoes, kicking them into a corner of the bedroom, and turned her back to Gabriel.

"Unzip me?"

He did so, smiling when he saw the lace and silk peeking through the gap. Kate carefully stepped out of her dress and stowed it in her garment bag. She could feel Gabriel's eyes on her as she walked back over to sit on the edge of the king-sized bed.

Gabriel let his gaze roam over his wife eagerly while he removed his shirt, from the thigh-high stockings to the cream-colored lace and silk lingerie.

"Gorgeous," he breathed as he knelt at her feet. "Here, allow me."

Kate's eyes rolled back in her head as her husband began removing her stockings—with his teeth. She whimpered when he gently kissed the bare skin of her upper thigh before catching the elastic and tugging gently with his mouth.

He stood, moving to stand between her legs and lean down for a kiss. Kate tangled her legs around his as she fell back on to the bed, dragging Gabriel with her. He broke the kiss as he reached behind her to undo the clasp of her bra.

"Mmm, very nice. But you really don't have to buy fancy stuff to get my attention."

"I know," Kate assured him. "But I thought the occasion warranted it."

After ten years together, they knew each other's bodies well, so it wasn't long before they were both panting and eager. Kate smoothly rolled Gabriel on to his back, and he reclined against the pillows with a smile as she hovered over him.

"Ohh, that's good, love," he gasped as she slowly sank down on him.

Kate could tell he wanted to take control of their pace, but she knew he wouldn't. But she didn't draw things out for long, either, for both their sakes.

Later, as they lay in a comfortable pile of limbs, she asked, "I suppose you want your gift now?"

"Sure," Gabriel answered. "I've got a little something for you, too. It's the little wrapped box in my suitcase."

Kate got up and returned a few moments later with the two packages. Gabriel opened his first to find a tri-fold pewter picture frame. The top was engraved with the word "Soulmates," and at the bottom the inscription continued below each frame, "Then. . .Now. . .Always." Kate had put a picture from their wedding day into the "Then" frame, and a more recent one into the "Now" part. The third frame was empty.

"Thought maybe we could put a photo from this weekend in that one," she explained.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you, darling. I love it," he leaned over for a kiss.

Kate turned to the small box she held. "This better not be anything big, after you paid for this trip."

"It's not," he promised.

She discovered a tin, heart-shaped key ring inside the box. Their initials and wedding date had been engraved on one side, while the other read "Ten years."  
>"How sweet," she smiled. "Thank you."<p>

"My pleasure."

They spent Saturday sightseeing and shopping. Kate found a couple of gifts to take back to Keira, knowing her daughter would expect at least a small souvenir. That night, they made use of the gift basket from the hotel management.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Gabriel asked.

Kate grinned, leaning over to lick a smudge of chocolate from his cheek. "You said something about not leaving the hotel room . . . "

He turned his head to catch her mouth with his. "That sounds like an excellent plan."

Though they both woke fairly early the next morning, neither one got out of bed until almost one that afternoon. The next few hours were devoted to talking, snogging and cuddling. They ordered room service for dinner and made love again before turning in for the night.

On their flight home the next morning, Kate decided that this trip was probably the best idea her husband had ever had. She was relaxed, happy, and feeling especially close to him. She knew they would both consider it a total success. Gabriel looked over at her and smiled, squeezing her hand. Kate had a feeling he knew what she was thinking, and agreed with her.


	6. Ten Years

Kate Watson Lestrade wasn't really surprised to be awakened by her ten-year-old daughter at five o'clock on Christmas morning. Still, she blinked groggily for a moment before her head cleared enough to see Keira standing there impatiently in her fleece nightgown.

"Mum, Dad, come on, it's Christmas!"

Knowing there was absolutely no chance of going back to sleep, Kate yawned and reached over to turn on the lamp beside the bed.

"We'll be down in a few minutes, Keira. You go ahead. But no opening anything yet!"

"Okay!" She agreed cheerfully before rushing out of the room and back down the stairs.

Behind Kate, she could tell her husband was in a half awake state. The cop nuzzled her hair sleepily, and his voice was rough and slurred with sleep.

"Wha' time 'sit?"

"Ten minutes past five."

Gabriel groaned. "Ugh, I just went to bed a few hours ago!"

"Yes, darling, but you knew this was going to happen."

"Mmm, true."

Kate dragged herself out of bed, grabbing her dressing gown and tossing Gabriel his.

"Come on. You'll feel better once you've had some coffee. And Keira will have a fit if we don't hurry up."

"I'm coming." He got to his feet, shaking his head slightly to clear it.

"You know you want to open your gifts, too. Keira's really pleased with what she picked out for you. I think you will be, too."

Trusting now that Gabriel would be behind her, Kate hurried down the stairs. By the time she'd started the coffeemaker, Gabriel was settled in his recliner. Keira was gazing happily at the packages beneath the tree, trying to decide which one to open first.

After a moment of internal debate, she headed for the largest one. A squeal of excitement came a few moments later when she discovered an elaborate wooden dollhouse. It was bare, with a set of paints so that the owner could decorate it as she wished.

Ribbons and wrapping paper flew as Keira kept going, discovering a variety of clothes, games, books and puzzles. Her biggest gift had been too large to wrap, so Kate had covered it with a sheet, stretched across two kitchen chairs to disguise the shape.

"You've got one left," Gabriel pointed it out to his daughter.

She raced over and threw back the sheet to find the pink five-speed bicycle she'd been dropping hints about for weeks.

"Wow! Thanks, Dad! Thanks, Mum!"

Kate bent to return her daughter's exuberant hug. "You're welcome."

"Can we go to the park so I can ride it? Please?"

"Probably not today, but some time before you go back to school, if it's not too cold out," Kate compromised.

"Okay. Here, open your present from me!" Keira dashed back to the tree and grabbed a small package.

Kate sat down on the couch and undid the wrapping. She grinned as she realized what was inside: a bag of the Scottish-made chocolates that had been her favorite growing up.

"Thank you, sweetie! I've been wanting some of these for a while and just hadn't gotten around to ordering any."

"Knew you'd like them. Here you go, Dad."

Gabriel paused to pour himself a second cup of coffee before sitting down to unwrap his gift. As Kate had predicted, he was happy with what he found. The digital desk clock not only showed the time, but the date and current temperature and weather conditions as well.

"Now I won't always have to check my phone to find out what the weather's like! Thank you, Keira."

His daughter smiled as she began gathering up her presents to take to her room. "You're welcome. It's an atomic clock, so it's always right."

"Definitely going to come in handy, then. I learned long ago that I couldn't trust the one in my office. And my watch and mobile never seem to be synchronized, either."

"Of course not," Kate laughed, handing him her gift. "Pretty sure you'll like this, too."

Gabriel let out a soft whistle as he opened the box and lifted out a new leather jacket. His old one was in fairly good shape, but getting rather battered and worn. He immediately shrugged off his dressing gown and tried the jacket on over his t-shirt. It fit perfectly.

"Looks just as good as I thought it would," Kate smiled.

"It's great, love." he leaned down for a kiss. "Thank you."

He laid the jacket carefully over the back of his recliner before presenting his wife with a small box. Kate wasn't surprised to find a velvet jewelry box beneath the wrapping paper, but her eyes widened with delight at the contents: a pair of silver earrings shaped like thistles—the flower that was symbolic of her native Scotland.

"Oh, brilliant! Thank you, darling."

"I figured you'd like them."

Once she'd cleaned up the strewn wrapping paper, Kate refilled her coffee and turned on the telly. But it wasn't quite six yet, so there wasn't much on.

"Ugh. Infomercials . . .I don't think so." She tossed the remote aside and went to find something for breakfast.

Keira opted for cereal, since it was quick and would mean she could get back to enjoying her gifts sooner. Kate just laughed, passing the milk as she reached into the fridge for eggs for herself and Gabriel. She remembered the excitement of her own childhood Christmases all too well.

The news programmes were starting as she settled on the couch with her plate of bacon and eggs. Gabriel sandwiched his between two pieces of toast and ate standing up, leaning against the counter.

"Easier to stay awake this way," he explained with a yawn.

Kate chuckled. "Go back to bed. Or stretch out in your recliner."

"I might, a little later."

He finished his breakfast and sat down in his chair, reaching for the book he'd started earlier that week. Kate glanced over about twenty minutes later to ask his opinion of something the news presenter had said. She smiled, not really surprised to see that her spouse had dozed off. He'd been up late the night before playing Father Christmas, after all.

After she'd seen all she wanted of the news, Kate curled up with a favorite book. As often happened when she was reading or writing, time passed quickly, and she looked at her watch some time later to see that it was nearly half seven.

She tiptoed past her still sleeping husband to stick her head into Keira's room. Her daughter was stretched out on the floor, frowning thoughtfully at the partially assembled jigsaw puzzle in front of her.

"Hi, Mum."

"Enjoying your presents, I see."

"Uh-huh!"

"Good. I'm going to go take a shower. Your dad's asleep in his chair."

"Okay."

Kate came back downstairs not quite an hour later. Gabriel was still asleep, she noted. She went to her desk to check her email and a few friends' blogs. John's latest entry bemoaned his inability to get Sherlock into the Christmas spirit.

She laughed to herself, thinking of the night before. She and Gabriel had invited friends over for drinks and snacks. Sherlock hadn't been that bad, really. No one had fled the gathering in tears, so she figured that had to count for something. Molly Hooper had come with DI Dimmock, which hadn't surprised Kate. She'd sensed something developing there for a while. John was currently between girlfriends, but it didn't seem to be bothering him. It just meant he had more time for chasing after Sherlock and writing up cases to entertain his readers.

She turned when she heard Gabriel stirring. He sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Not too long. It's only nine."

"Guess I'll go shower and get dressed, then."

Kate retrieved the remote and soon found a channel showing It's A Wonderful Life. It was one of her favorites, and long enough that it would keep her occupied until it was time to start dinner.

She wasn't really surprised when the meal preparation turned into a family affair. She opened one of the cabinets to reach for a bowl, only to find that the last time he'd used it, Gabriel had absentmindedly placed it on the second shelf, just out of her reach. Kate had turned to get a stepstool from the cupboard, but Gabriel noticed her problem and quickly appeared behind her.

"Here, love, let me get that for you." He set the bowl on the counter and pressed a quick kiss to the back of her neck. "Anything else I can do to help?"

"Well, since you offered, you could start peeling the potatoes for me."

"Sure." He rolled up his sleeves and moved over to the cutting board.

Keira emerged from her room just as Kate was starting on the piecrusts. "Can I help, Mum?"

Kate handed over the rolling pin and stepped back, offering an occasional guiding comment on the appropriate size and thickness of the dough.

"Okay, that's good," she nodded, carefully picking up the crust to press into the pan. "Go ahead and start on another one. No, you'll need a bit more dough than that. Yes, that should be enough. Gabe, can you pass me that bag of sugar?"

Her spouse closed the oven door, where he'd been checking the roast, and placed the requested item in her hand.

With the three of them working together, it wasn't long before they were all enjoying the fruits of their labor.

"We didn't do too badly," Gabriel quipped. "This is delicious!"

"And I appreciate the help," Kate answered.

Keira shrugged. "It was fun."

Kate smiled as she reached for second helpings. She enjoyed the parties that were a regular part of the holiday season, but as far as she was concerned a quiet family Christmas like today was best of all.


	7. Thirteen Years

**Disclaimer:** Original characters and plot are mine; nothing from the show is.

**AN:** My apologies for the long wait between chapters! I'm blaming a combination of real life, writer's block, and technical difficulties! This may not be my best chapter, but I hope you enjoy!

On the evening of her 50th birthday, Kate Watson Lestrade wasn't really surprised when her husband and daughter insisted on taking her out for dinner. But she couldn't help but feel there was more to it than that.

"Something tells me there's more going on here than I know."

Two pairs of brown eyes gave her innocent looks.

"I'm just excited to see if you like your present, Mum." Keira didn't miss a beat.

"Uh-huh." Kate raised a dubious eyebrow as she turned to her spouse. "And what's your excuse?"

Gabriel just laughed. "I agree with Keira; I'm just wondering how you'll react to your gift. And plus, now that you're 50, I don't feel quite so old."

"Very funny. Remind me to smack you for that one when you aren't driving."

As they arrived at the restaurant, Kate was rather flattered to see Keira slip her mobile phone into her pocket. The device often seemed like an extension of the thirteen-year-old's hand, so rarely was she seen without it. But it also increased Kate's suspicions about this being more than just a family dinner out.

"Guess I should have seen this coming," she laughed, entering the building to find many of her friends and colleagues waiting.

Her husband dropped an arm around her shoulder and bent to kiss her cheek. "Happy birthday, darling."

As her guests moved forward to greet her, Kate noticed Gabriel giving Sherlock Holmes a hopeful glance.

"Don't suppose you've gotten anything on those robberies yet, have you?"

The consulting detective rolled his eyes. "Must you be so impatient, Lestrade? I'm still solving it faster than your incompetent underlings would."

Kate made a point of not looking in her cousin's direction at that. She knew if she and John made eye contact, they'd both burst out laughing. Instead, she moved across the room to chat with some colleagues.

After a few more minutes of mingling, everyone settled at a long row of tables that had been pushed together to accommodate them all. The conversation continued throughout the meal. Kate noticed Sherlock nibbling on the starters, and chose to take it as a high compliment indeed, since he rarely ate while on a case. She made a mental note to ask John how he'd even convinced his flatmate to show up.

Once the main course was eaten and the cake had been cut and served, Gabriel reached into his coat pocket for an envelope, which he passed to his wife.

"Here you are, love. Hope you like it."

Kate opened the envelope to find a card. Inside were three round-trip plane tickets to her hometown in the Scottish Highlands. She turned to embrace her spouse.

"Thank you! What a great idea, Gabe."

He shrugged. "Well, I know you've been wanting to go back, and Keira's old enough now to appreciate it more than last time. Besides, I wanted to get you something different this year, instead of the usual jewelry or gadgets."

"It's perfect. When do we leave?"

"Two weeks."

"Means the rest of us will have a shot at getting our bylines on the front page, for a change!"

Kate smirked in response to her colleague and best friend's quip. "Love you, too, Emma."

Several of her friends had brought cards or small gifts, and Kate opened them as well. She was surprised to see that Sherlock had even signed the card John had bought for her. It always pleased her to see the results of her cousin's humanizing presence in the consulting detective's life, but it still came as a shock at times.

After one last round of drinks, the party broke up. Kate took a moment to thank each of her guests personally. It was nice to be reminded how many people cared about her. She was impressed that they'd all managed to keep the party a secret from her.

"You're looking quite pleased with yourself," she commented to Gabriel as they left for home.

"I was sure someone would let something slip before tonight," he admitted. "I told them all a week ago."

Kate laughed. "Well, I had no clue. And I really enjoyed myself. Thank you. Now I just have to go home and start packing and planning for our trip."

"I've been doing some research on Scottish history," Keira chimed in. "This is going to be an awesome holiday!"

Two weeks later, Keira stood in her mother's childhood bedroom, looking out at the view. Kate had sold the house to a couple who were close friends of her parents, and their son had inherited it when they passed away. He'd been happy to play host, inviting them for lunch and letting them tour to their hearts' content.

"Why'd you leave here, Mum? It must have been a hard decision to make."

"It was. But I knew that as much as I loved it here, I'd be less likely to achieve any of my goals if I stayed."

"Oh, okay."

They rejoined their host downstairs, where he and Kate began reminiscing, while Keira hung on every word. A few of them were stories she'd heard before, but most weren't.

The next day, however, the teen's good mood seemed to have evaporated. Kate had planned to spend the day touring some famous Highland landmarks, but Keira barely looked up from where she was sprawled across the bed, texting her friends.

"You seemed excited about this just a few days ago,"

"Well, I'm not now, Mum. Do we have to?"

"I'll tell you what: you go do this today, and if you really don't have a good time, we can hang around here doing nothing tomorrow."

Keira considered the offer for a moment. "Okay, that sounds fair."

"Nicely done, love." Gabriel murmured when Kate rejoined him in the sitting room of their hotel suite.

"I remember my Mum using that trick on me a few times when I was around that age. It always worked."

Keira did end up having fun, fascinated by the ancient castles where history had played out.

"Reading about it's interesting, but it's so much cooler actually seeing where this stuff took place," she enthused that night, on the phone with her best friend.

Kate, overhearing, smiled to herself. This trip was a definite success, so far. She'd already arranged to spend the next day visiting with one of her closest friends, Ailsa, whose youngest daughter was about Keira's age.

Keira and Olivia hit it off quickly, much as their mothers had 35 years before. In no time, they were discovering common interests and chattering away about them. While Kate and Ailsa caught up over cups of tea, the girls roamed outside, swooning over the latest popular boy band and discussing their favorite movies.

"I'm going to need a holiday to recover from my holiday," Gabriel quipped two days later as they prepared to leave.

Kate shrugged. They had packed a lot into the week. "Sorry. But don't try to tell me you didn't have fun."

"Oh, sure it was fun," he agreed. "And the important thing is that you enjoyed yourself."

She smiled, moving into his arms for a kiss. "I really did. Thank you."

"Can we come back soon?" Keira asked. "I know there's bound to be plenty of stuff we didn't get around to doing or seeing."

"Sure we can," Kate agreed. "Maybe next summer."

As she reflected, Kate decided it had probably been one of their more successful trips. And it had been fun. But while she'd never admit it to her husband, she was a bit tempted to take Monday off to rest up!


	8. Twenty Three Years

**A/N: **Hello? Anyone still out there? My apologies for the long delay, but season three messed up a lot of the ideas I had in mind for this story. There were going to be more chapters, but I decided to just skip to the end. There will be one more chapter after this one. Enjoy!

Keira Lestrade hummed to herself as she walked up the stairs to her parents' flat. She knocked twice before she opened the door and let herself in.

"Mum? Dad?"

"In here," Kate Watson Lestrade answered from the kitchen. "How are you, sweetheart?"

Keira kissed her mother on the cheek before hoisting herself on to one of the stools at the kitchen counter.

"I'm fine, Mum. Just had a little free time and thought I'd stop by. Dad home?"

"He had a couple of errands to run; he should be back shortly."

"That's okay; I actually wanted to talk to you alone for a bit."

"Oh?" Kate turned from the dishwasher she was unloading to give her daughter a concerned look. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, I just needed some advice about Scott and I," Keira answered, referring to the young Detective Sergeant she'd been dating for almost a year.

"Problems?"

"No, just the opposite. I think this is it; he's the one for me. At the very least, I see this relationship lasting for a good while."

"So what's the problem?" Kate asked. "His job?"

"Let's just say I never realized you were such a good actress, Mum."

Kate laughed. "Thank you. And you're right, I was always careful not to let you pick up on my worry and fear."

"I mean, that's not to say I didn't worry about Dad, but this is . . .different." Keira sighed, brushing a lock of her dark brown hair back.

"I understand. Is there some particular incident that's gotten you to thinking about all of this?"

"No, not really. I was just thinking that our one year anniversary is coming up, and that even though we haven't discussed marriage or anything, things have definitely gotten serious."

"Have you talked to Scott about any of this?" Kate passed a steaming cup of tea across the counter.

"Thanks," Keira sipped slowly before answering her mother's question. "Sort of. He knows I worry, and he's very understanding about it."

Kate cut to the heart of the matter. "Would you want him to quit? If he offered to go into a safer profession, would you take him up on it?"

The dark eyes widened and Keira shook her head. "No, I couldn't do that!"

"Exactly," Kate nodded, having already known what her daughter's answer would be. "I'm not going to lie and say it gets easier, but you learn to cope. Just part and parcel of loving a cop."

Keira smiled. "Having a good role model helps, too."

"I once had a cop's widow tell me to focus on the good times, that they made it all worthwhile. She was right."

Drinking the last of her tea, Keira stood and rounded the counter to kiss her mother on the cheek. "I do feel a lot better, Mum. Thanks for the advice and the tea."

"Anytime, sweetheart."

Kate went back to her chores, only to be interrupted five minutes later, this time by her husband's entrance.

"Saw Keira on my way in," he commented as he came over to greet her with a kiss. "Everything all right?"

"She just needed some relationship advice."

Gabriel lifted his eyebrows. "Relationship advice? That's interesting."

"How so?"

"I just got off the phone with Scott not half an hour ago. He wanted to know if he could come by after dinner tonight. Said he needed to discuss something important."

A slow smile spread across Kate's face. "You don't say?"

"He didn't come right out and say he plans to propose, but that was the feeling I got."

"Wonderful!"

Gabriel chuckled. "You're already planning the wedding in your head, aren't you?"

She winked. "Just chalk it up to a female thing."


End file.
